"For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man
should boast."Ephesians 2:8-9

If you search the Scriptures
you will find four things which always characterize the grace of God. Any
doctrine that is inconsistent with these four things is a denial of the
doctrine of the grace of God.

1. THE GRACE OF GOD IS ETERNAL (II Tim. 1:9). Grace did not originate in time. And
it cannot be merited, directed, or controlled by anything in time. All that
grace does for any sinner in time, it has done for that sinner from eternity in
the infinite mind and infallible purpose of almighty God (Rom. 8:28-30).

2. THE GRACE OF GOD IS FREE (Rom. 3:24). When God declares in his Word that
grace is free, he is telling us that there is no cause for grace except his own
purpose. Free grace is unqualified grace. Free grace is unconditional grace.
Free grace is unchangeable grace.

3. THE GRACE OF GOD IS SOVEREIGN (Rom. 3:21). Grace reigns! It reigns everywhere and
over all things. If grace reigns, then it reigns from a throne. And the One who
sits upon the throne is sovereign. The throne of the sovereign God is called,
"the throne of grace" (Heb. 4:16). When the Bible declares that grace
is sovereign it is declaring that God is gracious to whom he will be gracious
(Rom. 9:11-18). Salvation and eternal life is the gift of God (Rom. 6:23). If
it is a gift, it cannot be claimed as a right. If it is a gift, it cannot be
earned by works. If it is a gift, the Giver is free to bestow it upon whom he
will.

4. THE GRACE OF GOD IS DISTINGUISHING (1 Cor. 4:7). It is true, "God is no
respecter of persons" (Acts 10: 34). What could a sinful man do to win the
respect of the holy God? God has no respect for anything man is, does, or
gains, by which he sets himself apart from other men. But God does have his
favorites, whom he has, from eternity singled out from the rest of Adam's race,
to whom he will be gracious. He distinguishes them from all others by eternal
election (II Thess. 2:13), sovereign predestination (Rom. 8:29), effectual
redemption (Tit. 2:10), and regenerating grace (Eph. 2:1-5).

Nothing so riles man's
hatred of God as the declaration that his grace is eternal, free, sovereign and
distinguishing. This message of grace is abasing to human pride, gives no merit
to human righteousness, and makes man utterly dependent upon the goodness of
God for salvation. Proud men hate it. Saved men love it.